The Back To The Future Franchise Wished Michael J. Fox A Happy Birthday As Sweet Posts Celebrate The Beloved Actor

Michael J. Fox, one of the most iconic actors of the '80s, is notable for a number of the roles he’s played in his lifetime, from Alex Keaton on Family Ties and Scott Howard in Teen Wolf, to later projects like The American President, Stuart Little, Spin City and The Good Wife (where he enjoyed playing “such a dick”). But you can’t mention his highly regarded career without conjuring images (and quotes) from likely his most well-known role — Marty McFly in the Back to the Future saga. Fox starred in three movies for the franchise, which, along with several fans and organizations, took time on June 9 to wish the beloved actor a happy 61st birthday.

Great Scott! Michael J. Fox is celebrating 61 trips around the sun, and it certainly feels like he’s been doing it at 88 mph. It’s been 37 years since Fox starred in the first Back to the Future movie as Marty McFly with Christopher Lloyd’s Doc Brown, and in another 37 years, the actor will still be remembered for the role. The franchise's official Twitter page posted a throwback photo of the actor and wished him a happy birthday:

It’s not his acting career alone that has endeared fans to Michael J. Fox, but his ability to persevere too. The actor was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at age 29, and despite being told he wouldn’t be able to work after a few years, he continued to have a successful career until he retired in 2020. So it was no surprise that the Parkinson’s Foundation chimed in with some kind words for the actor, calling him an inspiration to the community:

Similarly, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which was started in 2000 with the mission of finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease, honored its founder by sending out well-wishes on behalf of researchers and those living with Parkinson’s and their families:

Michael J. Fox said in an interview this year that he happened to catch some of Back to the Future playing on TV, and he was surprised at how “really good” the movie was and how good he was in it. Back in the '80s, he was doing both the movie and Family Ties, so the actor said he was just trying to survive. I don’t think too many fans would be as surprised as he was that the movie has stood the test of time, and he had a lot of those fans wishing him a happy birthday on Twitter:

There’s no arguing the actor has been an inspiration in his time, and fans celebrated his birthday on social media by tweeting some of their favorite quotes. Whether about acting, perseverance or life in general, Michael J. Fox definitely dropped some gems, including this old favorite:

Though his career obviously hasn’t come without health struggles and dark moments, Michael J. Fox continues to inspire fans, and it’s always been a treat to see him pop up in one facet of entertainment or another. Two years ago, around the time he announced his retirement, he made a cameo in Lil Nas X’s video for “Holiday.” In a nod to his Back to the Future character, Fox warned the rapper to keep his time-traveling sleigh away from 2020. 

We at CinemaBlend are also inspired by what Michael J. Fox has done, both in his career and personal life, and we send our warmest wishes to him on his day. If you want to relive some of the actor’s greatest on-screen moments, check out the Michael J. Fox movies and TV shows available for streaming.